Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.misc > #88

The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online

Show all headers | View raw

From 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/02/06/the-4-38-billion-reason-its-so-hard-for-u-s-cord-cutters-to-watch-olympics-online/ 


> The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics start tonight. But if you're among the 9 
> percent of U.S. households who have broadband but don't subscribe to 
> paid television, it will be nearly impossible to (legally) watch the 
> games online this year.
> That's because while NBC is streaming all of the events live online, 
> full access to the livestream will only be available to paying cable 
> subscribers. And thanks to a $4.38 billion exclusive deal NBC struck 
> with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) in 2011 for the 
> privilege of broadcasting the Olympic games in the U.S. through 2020, 
> cord-cutters don't have a lot of options.
> 
> Since the games started being broadcast, television contracts have 
> become an important source of revenue for the IOC — with broadcast 
> deals now bringing in nearly half of Olympic revenues.  And the actual 
> broadcasts have changed substantially: The first "televised" version of 
> the games was in the 1936 Berlin games, and that only included them 
> being beamed by closed circuit to specified halls. Similarly, there was 
> a televised broadcast of the 1948 games at Wembley but it was limited 
> to certain receivers within range of the stadium. But the first 
> significant financial payouts for exclusive U.S. coverage came in 1960, 
> when CBS paid $394,000 for the privilege of showing the games.
> 
> ...

This is an interesting article for a few reasons.  My first thought is 
that the mainstream media doesn't even consider piracy of TV shows - it 
is possible (see 
https://kickass.to/search/olympics%20category%3Ausearch%20category%3Atv/?field=time_add&sorder=desc 
) to watch Olympic events, without directing any revenue to NBC, and 
these events can be viewed within sometimes minutes of their 
conclusion.  Another thing to consider is that, the events that the 99% 
really care about will be on broadcast TV.  If somebody is really a big 
fan of one of the sports that NBC is only barely covering, they will 
figure out a way to watch it online somehow despite NBC.

Personally I find the NBC coverage to be just awful, and I only watch 
the Olympics for laughs.  The last time I think I was excited about it 
was LA 84.

This story was inspired by Slashdot, may it rest in peace.

Back to comp.misc | Previous | Next — Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-07 14:55 -0800
  Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-08 20:08 +0000
    Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online 2phar <none@example.com> - 2014-02-08 16:28 -0500
      Re: The $4.38 billion reason it¹s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online RS Wood <rswood@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-09 15:18 +0000
  Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-02-08 23:24 +0200
  Re: The $4.38 billion reason it?s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-08 14:50 -0800
    Re: The $4.38 billion reason it?s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-02-09 02:13 +0200
      Re: The $4.38 billion reason it?s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-08 18:38 -0800
    Re: The $4.38 billion reason it?s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online 2phar <none@example.com> - 2014-02-09 09:34 -0500
  Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Atom Cogswell <m8r-uu8mmb@mailinator.com> - 2014-02-10 11:42 -0700
    Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-02-10 21:37 +0200
      Re: The $4.38 billion reason it’s so hard for U.S. cord-cutters to watch the Olympics online Atom Cogswell <m8r-uu8mmb@mailinator.com> - 2014-02-10 13:25 -0700
        olympics - coat hanger hack deepmagicbeginshere@gmail.com - 2014-02-10 17:25 -0800
          Re: olympics - coat hanger hack Atom Cogswell <m8r-uu8mmb@mailinator.com> - 2014-02-11 09:59 -0700
            Re: olympics - coat hanger hack RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-11 17:50 +0000
              Re: olympics - coat hanger hack 2phar <none@example.com> - 2014-02-11 12:57 -0500
            Re: olympics - coat hanger hack Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-12 22:51 -0800
            Re: olympics - coat hanger hack Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-02-26 00:28 -0500

csiph-web